• CAMDEN Council’s youth safety report, published some eight months ago, made great play of learning from the “Glasgow Public Health Approach”.

What is needed, and the report advocated this, is a borough-wide, integrated “strategy” covering policing, violence reduction, youth crime prevention, employment, education, mental health, advice to parents, support to those affected by crimes of violence and a focused youth activity programme. So far as I can find out no “strategy” has been developed to date.

What I do know is that in Haverstock-Gospel Oak and environs there have been shooting incidents, “bladed instrument” attacks, discovery of hidden, horrendous, weapons, open sale of knives and meat cleavers on Queen’s Crescent market and, over the last weekend, a torched moped.

These incidents have happened since the end of January and there may be more. Many “HaverGO” voluntary organisations working with young people are continuing and expanding their youth programmes.

On April 9 and 17 there were meetings in Queen’s Crescent Community Centre, attended by the “political elite” of the borough, where much was promised. Perhaps somebody from the council can let us know what they are doing here and across the borough to deliver on these promises.

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